Response from ABC viewers of Dr. Welner’s comments on Good Morning America, re: airing of Cho’s manifesto on the Virginia Tech massacre, April 19, 2007

Viewers’ reaction to Dr. Welner’s appearance was strong and enthusiastic. The items below are some of the messages of appreciation and encouragement that heightened the impact of the remarks of The Forensic Panel’s Chairman:

I agree! I was CHEERING after hearing Forensic Psychiatrist, Michael Welner that Robin Roberts interviewed on Good Morning America, talk about the constant saturation of airing Seung-hui Cho's self made video that he mailed to the media! No matter who the terrorist/murderer is, the media dissects every word & move they made, and repetitively show ad nauseum videos, specific details & even their resources for how-to's for the masses to see, egging on more delusional minds out there watching, and then wonder why there are so many copy cat incidences! STOP announcing over and over again that this was "the largest mass murder in American history" -- as this is simply an invitation to psychopaths everywhere to "one-up" Cho and obtain the "record" for themselves. Its doing more harm than good, the "public's right to know" does NOT always extend to the type of coverage given a tragedy like this. I can't imagine what the families and friends of those poor kids think when they see that video, or hear what he wrote and sent to NBC. I wonder if one of those victims had been the son or daughter, or niece or nephew of some ABC/CBS/NBC news producer -- would they make the same decision to air this?

Dr. Welner hit the nail directly on the head. Showing this video validates him in death as a mover and shaker, which he never was in life. It's shameful.

Michael Welner's interview by Robin Roberts was the most compelling interview I have ever seen on T.V. Bravo to Robin for being professional and not cutting this very intelligent man short. I just hope the media listens to Dr. Welner and stops the airing of this video, the ravings of a mad man. More Michael Welner. He should be a daily part of Good Morning America.

I completely agree! More Dr Welner!

Thank you to Robin Roberts for bringing this interview. Dr. Welner really needs to be on more! He is right, the shooter could stop the video anytime and have a script written, and also edit it so we saw what he wanted us to see. Also he wanted the TV stations to run rampid with it, as he sent it to a news station. Keep up the good work GMA team, I watch you every morning from start to finish on wzzm 13 in Grand Rapids mi.

Amen! The most well-spoken person I've heard regarding this whole catastrophe. I am so sick of journalists playing the blame and fault game (which GMA has been doing). I too wanted to stand and cheer. Go back to the real news, and quit validating a psychopath. I'd love to see more of Michael Welner. It's so rare to find someone willing to stand up for what's real in the face of political correctness and special interest pressures.

Robin's interview with the doctor this morning was absolutely profound! It stopped me in my tracks. So simply stated ... so direct. It is time the American media stops making a killer some sort of hero. He is nothing but a killer. This interview should be shown for everyone to see again and again. This is what needs to be seen and heard instead of the killer's rant.

THE MEDIA ARE THE ONES WHO NEED THE DR.'S ADVICE, THEY ARE THE ONES WHO NEED IT THE MOST.

I also agree 150%. I think it would be an excellent idea to have the Dr. interviewed on the evening news and Oprah. Everyone needs to hear his advice. I enjoy watching GMA as part of my morning routine before I go to work and have great respect for Robin, Diane and Chris. I know they are just doing their jobs. But, I have decided I will not watch any more coverage of "the massacre". I have already devoted too much time to it. I will keep all the families and friends affected by this tragedy in my thoughts and prayers.

I also agree and applaud Robin and ABC and Dr. Welner, your interview was vital and we need you on more airways such as Oprah and Larry King, thank you, there’s too much focus on the killer(he needed help and unfortunately did not receive for whatever reason). The victims are the ones we should be focusing on and the and the brave heroes of that senseless tragedy. Our prayers and thoughts are with the families and friends of the all the victims and the community.

I was very upset this morning when the video was played along with the audio- working in a College Counseling Center I totally agree with the Dr. and what he said. I watch Good Morning America every day and still will, but they need to listen to the Dr. and put more thought into what they put on the air. Who was that Dr. I thought he was great!

The doctor is so right, we should stop making these killers martyrs. The fact that he talks about Columbine is proof that the doctor is right!

That interview was great. Dr Michael Welner made SO MUCH sense. Let us hear more from that Doctor and Dr. Phil. who is of the same opinion. SPEAK UP - let the whole world hear you. Let us STOP THE MEDIA MADNES. Do not show the psychopaths pictures or video.

THANK GOD SOMEONE FINALLY GOT IT RIGHT! I agree 100% with this doctor and I hope we get to see him again. Please ABC I hope you also agree with him and STOP showing this obviously disturbed young man's tirade.

I agree 100%. Please replay this interview. So many people I spoke with today didn't see it. The doctor spoke so simple, yet so direct and honest. It is past time the American media stop giving merit and "glory" to any of the killers. I understand many want to know what was in his mind, but we really can't. He wasn't sick, he planned this for many months. He was a cold, calculated killer, no explanation for this. My prayers and thoughts go to each of these families, my heart aches for you. I also have a college freshman, and my heart is breaking for this community.

I agree! I'd love to see clips of that interview on all the news shows on all the networks, or at least all the news and talk shows on ABC. That was one BRILLIANT, impassioned appeal!!!!

I just watched good Morning America, and just witnessed the most intelligent man alive. Please listen to Dr. Weller he knows what he is saying. STOP making this idiot Cho look like a poor sick victim, he was a complete nut and now he is being portrayed as sorrowful. He doesn't have my sympathy, and I refuse to watch his feeble attempt at being "Rambo" I encourage ABC to pull this sick video, don't let Cho win! Let’s focus on the true victims of this horrendous tragedy the poor angels that fell prey to his dislodged wrath. My family will watch the humanity that’s left of this misery, but will not give in to the distorted attempt by Cho to become famous.

I absolutely agree with Dr. Welner, I found myself sending my 7year old son out of the room.

He is my Person of the Week

I could not agree more with Dr. Welner. The relentless coverage of the event and the rantings of this deranged person has gone on long enough. Let us focus on the victims and the road to recovery. It will be interesting to see if any of the networks listen to Dr. Welner's advice.

Oh my gosh.......I couldn't agree with you more. I cannot believe how our society falls into these creepy people's traps! Let's focus on finding other floundering souls like his..... and try to help them. Show people that if you love one another the world is a beautiful place....instead of glamorizing this nasty sick feel-sorry-for-me attitude! He could have reached out and made friends, helped others and made himself a really neat person like the rest of us. But, let's start by pulling his video......NOW. Please! Good job Michael Welner....you said what the rest of us are thinking and feeling.

I saw Dr. Welner this morning and felt compelled to register and sign in tonight. I totally agree with what he said. This morning I just wanted to see the local weather and my daughters and I were literally bombarded with the image of Cho's murderous psychopathic face, words and videos. ABC and all of the other reputable news organizations should stop glorifying his so called "manifesto" and giving him what he wanted. Respect the families, friends, and the Vtech students and quit catering to those possible wanabees and sick individuals who have to see this over and over again. Enough is enough with this tabloid journalism on our TV. Ratings may get better for ABC if they take the high road. I know I will respect the old school news people if they just report the news and quit repeating what the other stations feel is "news".

I agree; talk about an intelligent, passionate man! Go, Dr. Welner!!!!

Your e-mail has stated everything I was thinking. Dr. Welner is a rare find on television these days, practical and intelligent. The media could not get enough of this maniac waving a gun around. Cho's wishes were completed. It seems this doctor is the only professional who has the guts to speak out. Thank you doc. He also brought up the fact that Imus was yanked off the air but the media just can't help themselves in this situation. Curious!!!

Amen to all of you and your words! My thoughts EXACTLY! I watched Dr. Michael Welner this morning and was finally pleased to hear the first damn intelligent thing that has been said all week. Stop showing the video. Stop giving the lunatic exactly what he wanted. I am sooo sick of people blaming the school, blaming the police, blaming everyone for missing the "red flags"....Blame the disgusting nut whose face you are seeing all over the news!! I've never written on here, but I had to express myself after seeing this interview, and after myself being so frustrated at people's opinions. I am terribly sorry for this horrible tragedy, and my thoughts and prayers are with all those people and their loved ones.

ABC needs to bring Dr. Welner forward more often to balance the many "reporters" that rush to judgment when situations like this occur. I was very disappointed to see many of them (including D. Sawyer) place the blame squarely with the college president Tuesday morning. At this point I wonder why anyone on that campus would talk to members of the media.

I think Dr. Welner has given us the most intelligent answer to this travesty of showing these tapes. To the poster who thinks this is just what the masses need to see, you are assuming everyone would see your view. I watched those young people who survived and were students at Virginia Tech. I did not see a selfish lavish lifestyle. I saw bright, wonderful young students who had much to give to our country. Cho was seeing the world from his sick mind. I agree he should not have been picked on when he was younger and hope parents do use this as a tool to talk to their children. However, I saw students who tried to reach out to him and he could not respond. Seeing this sick tirade over and over will only hurt the victims, but even worse it will validate his behavior to another person who sees the world as he did. This will only bring on more killers.

I agree with Dr. Michael Welner about how putting all the news about Cho on TV and in the newspapers just glorifies what he did and encourages copycats. Other students like Cho should be carefully screened for mental illness regardless of whether the are adults or not because one persons privacy is not more important than the 32 lives that were cut short on Monday April 16th. Many of the signs were there but ignored by the administration of Virginia Tech. The gun laws in Virginia didn't help matters either but if anything made the act easier to accomplish. Hopefully the media will stop with all the hype and take all the videos off the air so that others will come to realize that Cho was a crazed individual and not a hero.

The man Robin Roberts interviewed this morning who ripped into her for being any part of ABC and the media as a whole who show this video was spot on with his remarks. He ripped her in stating the media was helping these "sick people" become immortal by showing this type of follow up tape. He said "Stop showing it!" "Don't do it!" Personally, I feel he stated and pleaded the same passionate message the majority of TV viewers are saying -- we don't care to see this stuff. Hey ABC, go to bed at night for just once knowing you did the right thing for humanity, NOT the right thing for your stupid ratings.

The Dr. on GMA was 100% correct. STOP giving this type of person the "15minutes" of fame that they are looking for. I think that we should focus on the victims not the criminal. STOP all the "news" on this kid.

I totally agree. I almost stood up in the middle of my dining room and applauded the Dr. I love GMA, but there is no need for airing this type of individual’s sick "reasoning". All it does is validate and encourage other people’s sick ideas. How many "copy cat" killings have we had going all the way back to Waco. Please don't continue to pollute our news.

This interview needs to be front and center on ABC's web site and needs to be played over and over again in place of any other video about the killer himself. I'd like to see a live public debate take place among and across all the major news anchors themselves that face up to this issue in as direct and honest a way as this morning's interview did.

I watched the interview that was on this morning and agree 100%. When are we going to devote a morning to pictures of the people who were killed, spot it, we don't need to see his picture again and again!!!! I want to applaud that man who Robin interviewed; he spoke of what we are all thinking!!!!

Bravo to the Dr on TV this morning who told Robin they should stop showing this information. However, I just heard Barbara Walters say they will continue to show still pics of this demented individual. Stop putting anything at all about this man on TV. Take his picture off, stop talking about him, stop analyzing him. To repeat what the Dr. said this morning, "he is a pervert". He does not deserve any air time at all still, video or otherwise. Stop talking about the victims, yes it is tragic but allow the family to heal, stop throwing it in their faces day after day after day. Let them morn in private and get over it. Leave them alone, I cannot stress it enough that the people of this country do not want to continue to hear you play this day after day. If you want to address gun control that is one thing but do not continue to wave this crazy person in front of other crazy people who are contemplating the same action. As the Dr. said this morning, appeal to these people who are having these thoughts to get help before they do something that can never be undone.

I agree with the doctor this morning. Let's stop validating a psycho. Cho obviously wanted everyone to think he was some sort of celebrity, and that is why he sent the video. STOP giving him immortality. If they want to look at the type of person Cho was, interview his family or people who knew him personally. Kids don't grow up thinking of these violent acts without being exposed to violence every time the media over exposes tragedies like this. Come on ABC, set an example.

Thank goodness for the mental health professional (whose name I didn't catch) who challenged ABC and ALL news programs to STOP airing this video and glorifying this sick individual! Time will tell if they actually listen to him, and the rest of us; and realize that they are part of the problem, and broadcasting these images to other "martyrs" out there, will only cause more problems.

I agree with the Doctor. The media is out of control. Please have more compassion for the living victims. I was employed as a Chief of University Police for five years. I can see why Geraldo Rivera got his nose broken one time. The media needs to stop picking on the university president and the University chief of police about their possible resignation. These officials did not have a crystal ball to predict what was going to happen two hours later. If you have a murder in New York City, do you shut the whole city down? When 911 happened in New York with mass murder, did you shut the whole city down? They had too many things to do in a short time span with limited resources at hand. The university officials have to think about the rest of the budget year and to take care of many immediate problems at hand. You need to tell your producers to take a break and think through what they are doing. You the media are like pouring gasoline on burning embers. Stop showing the video.

A psychologist who just appeared on Good Morning America with Robin put the case as well as anyone I have heard: stop showing the videos and images on TV. We got it; stop promoting the rants of a powerless and sick and tortured individual. He seeks the notoriety and fame that he lacked in his own life. The old tradition is that evil/madness is nameless: it should be as if he were never born. The coverage has pushed the remembrances of true heroes and victims off the air. I believe every newsroom need not debate the issue. I would call upon all responsible journalists to show restraint and to contact all news desks and lead commentators. A voice from within the industry would speak volumes. Please stop making madness rewarding. Remember the lives of those lost; not the sickness which is evil and evil which is sickness.

Bravo to Dr. Welner for his straightforward comments as to why the networks should NOT be showing the video! The fact that the gunman planned the attack to coincide with Columbine, and mentioned those shooters in his video, confirms what the Doctor is saying. The more this is shown and sensationalized, the more of a chance there is that someone else will want to copy it and have their moment of glory. Let's hear more about the wonderful people whose lives were cut short, and their talents that are lost forever. Maybe then the public will really understand how senseless this crime is, and be more aware of warning signs.

I agree with Dr. Welner...this video should be taken off the air. It should have been turned over to the police and never been aired in the first place. It does nothing to further our knowledge of the situation or the individual. Refusing to air the information isn't ignorance. I think it's a matter of decency. It's a matter of someone, somewhere, saying this could hurt more than help. But rating will win out in the end. And I say that as someone who's worked in television broadcasting 32+ years. I'll give anyone three guesses as to why it was mailed to a major network over any other place in the country. And BTW, the first two guesses don't count. If we want clues to spotting at-risk behavior, look to what went before. Not the profane rantings of a mass murderer. I agree with the doctor on the point he made that the video didn't show the truth. It only shows the distorted reality of this individual. (I refuse to type the man's name...I've heard it till I'm sick of it.) Let the experts dissect the video and glean from it what they can. I could've gone all year without seeing those pictures. They disturbed me more that the 911 video of people falling to their deaths from the WTC. Do the country a favor and refuse to air this video. It's time we say NO.

I just finished watching your interview with the psychiatrist............I have to applaud what he had to say-we should all take his advice and not watch the shooter's videos-that includes the news people (they should not air them)- I know this graphic stuff sells- but the psychiatrist made a lot of sense and GMA is a family show- so focus on something else with this topic- show other pictures......Robin said that people in their news room had debates as to what to show- isn’t that telling you something?????? I heard one of the student from the college say that they don’t need to know why he did it- they just want to heal- we should all do the same........ Thank you for having this psychiatrist on- I hope people really listened to what he said and take action

Thank you for having the forensic psychiatrist on the show this morning. A voice of reason in an increasingly crazy world, how refreshing. Now, let's see if ABC news will follow his advice. I would certainly appreciate it.

Dr. Michael Welner very clearly summed up all that needs to be said. IT IS TIME FOR THE MEDIA TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT THEY INUNDATE THEIR VIEWERS WITH. STOP WITH CHASING THE RATINGS. Promote the healing. PLEASE STOP the madness. PLEASE STOP broadcasting the videos that this very troubled young man prepared precisely for this purpose. PLEASE STOP providing a template for the next troubled youth to idolize and follow. Stop, please.

Dr. Welner was on point exactly. Most healthcare people have, at sometime, been exposed to these delusional patients. The key point is "perspective". In the context of society as a whole this shooter is absolutely and obviously crazy. His video, being played over and over with editing, looses perspective. It becomes like an advertisement...a single-sided message repeated over and over. I don't think anybody needs to hear this delusional message, out of context, over and over. The only people who can truly gain anything from this kid’s message are the criminal investigators, the forensic psych folks and possibly his family.

Thank you for showing the psychiatrist...the voice of reason today to not focus on a lost, angry soul. Oprah yesterday had Darrell Scott and his son Craig who was at Columbine. Craig asked people and the media to choose to concentrate on the positive and the people's lives who were taken and not on the killers. They are speaking to thousands of high school students every week asking kids to reach out in love to those who are hurting, alone, and depressed. Rachel's story has prevented more horrific events and students leave with a resolve to be positive and make a difference in their world. Get them on your show! Bring positive change! Please stop the depressing coverage!
Dr. Welner presented the only sane and sensible voice amidst all the media frenzy this morning. I agree, Please listen to Dr. Welner. Please stop the video- show us the victims so we may mourn the loss of all the bright young minds that COULD HAVE CHANGED THE WORLD FOR THE BETTER, instead of the despicable rantings of a disturbed mind. Cho ROBBED US ALL.

Yes, thanks to ABC for having this psychiatrist on. However, the images haven't been removed yet. I've left a few comments on a few other posts, and I feel the same way. As someone who has been personally affected by 4/16/07, please remove the videos and pictures. It is not only glorifying Cho's actions but raising him from the dead and showing him again to those who lived through it the first time. I seriously doubt most parents, friends, fellow students, and the surrounding community (I'm about an hour North of Blacksburg and have MANY friends who go to Tech) care to ever relive that day. Many kids saw him exactly the way he is in these pictures and videos. To the media, please think about how the decision to release these tapes & pictures has only caused more hurt. The pain is still too raw.

I applaud GMA for having the courage and conviction to interview the most intelligent and sensitive psychiatrist I have heard in a long time. Please take another courageous step and take a stand to NOT AIR anymore graphic pictures and news about a very sick and pathetic individual. Be the station to stand up for the victims and the sensitive REAL people who should be given recognition. I would love to continue to be a faithful GMA listener however I also have a choice NOT to listen or watch these worthless news items which I will not even name. Please make the brave decision. 4/19/07

I also applaud what the psychiatrist said this morning, and totally agree with what he said. I had a conversation with my 12 year old daughter about this because it is all over the news and I didn’t want her to be scared or have questions about what she was seeing. I had this talk with her before they even knew this video existed. I explained to her that individuals like this seek acknowledgment because they lack the self realization that they are responsible for their own feelings. And also said that I'm sure they will find a letter or tape that he has made and unfortunately someone will more than likely make a movie about this someday. I've seen enough, heard enough about this. The media's main purpose is to inform people but are they also not held to some moral standard about what they inform us of. I am a "normal" American mother who takes responsibility for my own actions and understands that I and only I have the ability to choose actions. HOW many people do you think the Media is informing who think everyone else is the root of their problems. To me this is the type of information you DON'T want to give to these individuals because they see it as glorification. Plain and simple, he was a sick and weak minded person.

I was moved and renewed to hear the psychiatrist take a passionate stance based on sound experience in requesting the media to remove airing of any of the photos and video. Hats off to you ABC for allowing him to speak and voice many of "our" opinions. Perhaps you all have become too desensitized to what is "newsworthy" at times. I'm hoping his plea, the numerous responses posted, the police press conference and the responses from the students at Virginia Tech help bring all media back to what is truly professional...and sells. Also, for all you parents, as I am one, listen to what he said and protect your children from all the pictures, video and reports that are currently available for your children to see. It does affect them!

I also agree with the psychiatrist--please, please stop showing the video of the killer. It's chilling and evil. It only gives people like him attention. Do you think the families of the victims want to see this? You can report on him without showing this awful, terrifying video. My heart goes out to all the families of those killed and to those still recovering and to all at Virginia Tech. Canadians care! (We also lost one of ours)

YOU ARE MY HERO DR WELNER! Thank you thank you thank you! I am amazed and grateful for the media's response to your plea to quit showing that video. God Bless you man!

I was almost cheering when I heard Dr. Welner's comments yesterday on GMA and was delighted to know that his comments were well received - so much that he was back today! It seems like common sense to me that sensationalizing the sick murderers in cases like this will breed copy cats. If other delusional people out there see the killer's face plastered on their televisions day after day, they may also want to achieve that level of "notoriety" and even try to out-do the latest crime. If there is no other way for them to achieve their "15 minutes of fame", they may resort to these types of actions to do so. I think there should be no attention paid to the killer, we shouldn't see their face, we shouldn't learn of their history. Leave that to the police and psychiatrists to know. Let's stop giving them what their sick minds want!

I couldn't say it any better. I felt fortunate to hear such a voice of intelligence and reason amidst the cacophony of images, commentaries, and speculations. Bravo, Dr. Welner, and thank you!

Dr. Welner... Thank you, it’s about time someone takes a verbal stand the way you did yesterday. I thought the exact same way, all this video was doing is feeding the other warped and weak troubled individuals with ideas, and it was going to become a contest for attention. It is evident with the string of reports and threats on schools across the country. In Mn here alone, we had the U of M incident, and also 2 high schools in our local broadcast areas alone with threats, I am sure across the country including small schools there was much more problems than was even reported by GMA. I am more disturbed every year by the drive by the media to focus so much on the negative and problems than the positive and good so many and so much has to offer. It is understandable that the viewing content is based on projected viewer profiling and ratings, what you think we want to see, but what America needs to see is different. What happened to the media of 50 years ago? I am only 37, but over my life have seen a disturbing trend in reporting ethics. Media that protected even the president’s secrets, such as a president that uses a wheel chair due to an illness? How eager is media now days to broadcast news to beat the other stations? Where is society as a whole compared to years ago? It is not all the medias fault, don’t read me wrong, but media is definitely in the blame as well as selfishness. If more people cared about others than themselves, the world would be much better.

I agree...100%! Thank you, DR. WELNER

Thank you as well, Dr. Welner! Since I usually listen in my car during my commute to work, I am often grateful I cannot see some of the videos. The question was posed about how much we really want to see. I can emphatically reply "none of it - ever." Some photographs in the paper and news magazines are not necessary. Some written descriptions are quite enough. I am by no means putting my head in the sand. I follow the news all the time. Some of the photo and videos smack of sensationalism and put respected news media close to the same category as the gossip rags and tabloids. There has been some comment that we as a society need to learn by watching the video. Please let the experts watch the video and let them tell us what to look for and how best to steer an individual to treatment. Violence begets violence. Someone else who feels the same way this sad young man felt will look at this and think "I can set a new record." That would be a social catastrophe!

I totally agree! When I saw Dr. Welner and heard what he had to say, I was saying a big "Thank you!". I wouldn't even watch Cho's video. I was so pleased that GMA had someone speak out and say ENOUGH. Every time it came on I turned the channel. I thought it to be so irresponsible of the media to continually show the video and give glory to what this unstable person did. I am sure that the intent was to inform the public as to what Cho's motives were, but the media could just report it and be done with it. The video not only glorified Cho, but glorified the two teens who committed the shootings at Columbine. Thank you Dr. Welner.

I never write in on my thoughts but I have to say I agree strongly on what Dr. Welner said, do not give this killer any more energy or concern on what made him do this. These videos are not the real "CHO" It is his last ditch effort to make himself "Tough and "I'll show you". 4/20/07

I never write in on my thoughts but I have to say I agree strongly on what Dr. Welner said, do not give this killer any more energy or concern on what made him do this. These videos are not the real "CHO" It is his last ditch effort to make himself "Tough and "I'll show you".

Every network CEO and V-P in the news department, as well as all news reporters should be required to view the video of Dr. Welner's interview with Robin. Like you, I have had ENOUGH of the media giving so much air time to killers. Any killers. I am at the point where I just start channel surfing every time a picture of that monster comes on the screen.

I too stood and applauded Dr. Michael Welner. Finally someone in house told the media to stop enabling these people from getting their minute of fame. The news media have getting out of their box for a long time and it is time to put them back in the box and close the lid and nail it shut. I came to GMA this morning to find the web site that he mentioned this morning to go to and take a survey to help them with their research. Looked & looked and couldn't find it. I will Yahoo "Michael Welner" and go that way.

I Love Dr. Welner. He is always a wealth of information and hits it right on the money. Today he said if we stopped showing so much attention to these "shooters" we could eliminate them one day. I completely agree. I also agree with the fact that it starts with teachers and carries forward. We have given up our responsibility to recognizing the signs of someone in trouble and stepping up to help. I think it's usually obvious when people are in need of attention and when their withdrawal becomes alarming enough to notice. We just choose to "not get involved." Worse than that, we sensationalize their actions, making it easy for them to take that path.